Two plans

I could spend more time leading up to this; there are so many more examples.

People respond emotionally to the examples, but those are not necessarily convincing. Some people will continue to feel superior and judge, and some people will feel great judging the judgy. Then there are going to be people who feel very agonized, whichever way they end up voting.

There are ultimately two distinct approaches, and there is a clear division between them.

In one plan, everyone gets to choose. There will definitely be sin, but there is also a Savior. That not only allows for repentance to meet forgiveness, but it also allows for healing.

Then, in the other plan, you squash sin by squashing choice. This plan also takes away growth and sanctification. 

One plan chooses control, seeking power and demanding glory.

The other plan humbly chooses agency and enables that agency through sacrifice.

Christ did what no one else could do, but there was still the invitation to be like Him.

We let people choose. We support more information so they can make better choices. We know things won't always work out, but we do what we can to assist with healing. 

And we know judgement is not ours.

Okay, I will throw out one more example.

A Texas woman, Kate Cox, has sued for the right to abort her pregnancy. 

https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/07/us/texas-abortion-ruling/index.html

The child has Trisomy 18 and the mother is in danger of losing her uterus and her life. She wants to continue to parent her two living children, and she wants to be able to have other children in the future.

A judge granted her the abortion, and now Texas AG Ken Paxton is threatening to sue her and the doctors; she must continue to risk her life and health even though her child is going to die.

He is a remarkably corrupt person anyway, and not a doctor, but he wants to dominate and the life of that woman and her husband and current children and future potential children have no value against his prerogative to wield power.

I have friends who had a child with Trisomy 18. They did continue with the pregnancy, and the mother lived and was able to have other children. 

I am sure there were other differences. Kate's pregnancy has already sent her to the emergency room three times in the last month, which may be a good reason to not wait. 

The point is, my friends made a choice. It was a choice that I am sure involved prayer and talking and listening, but they did what they could accept, and they had spiritual experiences and growth from that.

What if they had not had the right to choose?

I've done wrong things and foolish things, but I can feel ownership over it. I am a better person for the choices I have made and the growth I have had.

That is God's plan.

ETA: Just in case there are any questions about whether the proclaimed Texan value of life is sincere, when it was about letting a prison guard in labor get to the hospital in a timely fashion to save her child, they dispute the right to life.

https://www.texastribune.org/2023/08/11/texas-prison-lawsuit-fetal-rights/